Heartless People

SIXTEEN

Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.

—Herbert Hoover

CAMILA

Sitting on the bed, I brushed Ethans hair as he lay in between my legs. He was getting so big. Every day he seemed to grow, and so did that grin of his. Every
time I looked at him, all I could see was Lauren. They looked so much alike, it was as if he'd gotten no physical characteristics from me.

"If you're going to look like her, you're gonna act like me," I whispered down at him, as I gently tapped his little nose. He giggled and tried to grab onto my finger as if it was something hed never seen before.

"I'm going to teach you how to shoot, and if she ever tells you that she's a better shot than I am, tell me, and I'll show you all the bullet wounds she got
from me." I tapped his nose again and this time he laughed loudly.

"When you're old enough to understand, she's going to tell you all these rules that she claims were passed down through her family, but I swear she makes
them up as she goes."

Ethan frowned and I would've liked to think that it was because he dreaded having to hear those rules, but I was pretty sure that he only wanted me to push
his nose again.

The door to our bedroom opened and Lauren leaned against the frame grinning like a loon. I glared at her and picked Ethan up before sitting him on my lap.

"How long were you eavesdropping?"

"Long enough to hear you trying to turn our son against me," she smirked as she walked to us.

"I wasn't turning him against you, I was just making sure that his love was spilt fifty-one—forty-nine."

"Won't work. Im the cool parent," she replied. And as she bent down to kiss Ethans forehead, Ethan started to cry.

"I can feel the good times coming, "I laughed, as I pulled him back. Lauren looked so confused that it was almost sad, but she should have known better,

Ethan loved Lauren, if only to pull on her hair. "You stink, babe, try again after a shower."

She sniffs her shirt. "Ah, no wonder he's in tears."

"Yeah, thats the reason," I replied sarcastically. And as she took off her shirt, I found myself fighting the urge to look at her chest but I lost and caught myself gawking like a teenager.

"See something you like?" Lauren asked, as she gazed down at herself before meeting my eyes.

"Im free to look at what I own."

"Remember that when I repeat the sentiment." She dropped her pants and boxers.

Biting my tongue, I walked to the door with Ethan. "We need to be ready in an hour. How was the run?"

Sh grabbed another towel from the closet. "It went as well as it could have gone."

"Chris returned an hour ago."

"Yeah. I chose to keep running with Monte."

I nodded but I didn't press her for more. Chris knew he had a choice to make. Hopefully the gravestones would haunt him, they were fake, no one knew
that but Lauren and myself, but the point remained the same. No matter how Lauren felt about Chris, I knew she didn't want to kill him.

I walked into the room wed been using as a nursery here in D.C., and I saw Michael and Clara standing by the window speaking quietly to each other. They
looked like teenagers sneaking around.